Juventus 2, Roma 0: Match Review

You could possibly select to have a look at Roma’s beginning lineup for this match from quite a few views. On the one hand, none of Bryan Cristante, Jordan Veretout, or Gonzalo Villar are actually that good at defending nor overlaying for his or her backline. Alternatively, the 3-5-1-1 formation makes for a fluid Cristante and Mkhitaryan shifting between all three traces. That could possibly be a deliberate ploy to create house behind Juve’s younger large males Chiesa and Mckennie in a bid to pin again Juventus and hold Roma on high of the possession.

Because it turned out by the ultimate whistle, each have been true.

First Half

Roma instantly attacked the sport by means of a Leonardo Spinazzola cross, which was met on the far facet with a tame, looping header that nestled into Szczesny’s outstretched arms. No sooner was that transfer completed than Juventus went up the opposite finish and received a dead-ball state of affairs on the byline, however my stream determined to chop out for a number of minutes by then. It got here again up simply in time for me to see Giorgio Chiellini throw himself to the bottom within Roma’s field, however evidently, everybody determined to disregard him as Roma had a nook at Juventus’ finish within the eighth minute.

That led to Cristante enjoying a number of cross-field balls throughout the face of Juventus’ field to Rick Karsdorp, however Roma couldn’t string the ultimate go collectively within Juve’s field to get any significant likelihood on objective. A couple of minutes of play glided by earlier than the most certainly man to attain on the night time already bought on the scoresheet for Juventus within the thirteenth minute.

Cristiano Ronaldo: thirteenth Minute (Juventus 1, Roma 0)

Bryan Cristante discovered himself closing the hole behind Rick Karsdorp on Roma’s proper flank, however his half-hearted shoulder-to-shoulder with Alex Sandro meant Sandro turned Cristante and earned manner an excessive amount of house to slide the ball into the field for Morata. Three Roma defenders tried to close off Morata’s choices, however the Spanish striker was conscious sufficient to go the ball again on the sting of the field to a totally free Cristiano Ronaldo. The 36-year-old phenom made no mistake, utilizing his left foot to fit the ball proper into the far nook and provides Juventus the 1-0 lead.

Roma tried to rise up the opposite finish instantly, with Gonzalo Villar discovering the ball at his ft inside Juve’s field. However Villar falling to the bottom underneath the slightest stress from Adrien Rabiot was unconvincing, to say the least, and the second was misplaced. That being mentioned, Juventus started to take a seat again on their lead and Roma have been glorious at discovering house in between Juve’s traces, however nonetheless lacking that remaining go to actually give Szczesny any work to do.

Bryan Cristante tried to alter that reality, moments later, with a first-time volley on the sting of Juve’s field from a free ball, however the likelihood curled large. Within the meantime, Juventus merely confirmed Roma how goal-chances are finished. Alex Sandro held the ball up on the flank, earlier than feeding Morata down the half-space as soon as once more. The identical Juve trio that linked up for Juve’s opener did so right here, as Morata dinked a cross-field go to Ronaldo inside Roma’s field, and the following CR7 shot blasted onto Pau Lopez’s crossbar with the help of a sliding Max Kumbulla deflecting the shot. Catastrophe averted for now.

Photograph by ISABELLA BONOTTO/AFP by way of Getty Photographs

Within the twenty sixth minute, Roma received a nook that Veretout curled close to the six-yard space. Sadly, Gianluca Mancini clattered his leg into the again of Juventus participant earlier than he may join with the go, so the possibility got here to nothing. On the half-hour, as soon as once more Leonardo Spinazzola held onto the ball for too lengthy. As soon as once more Roma received a nook from the motion, as soon as once more Veretout despatched it into the field, and as soon as once more Juventus have been first to clear the ball.

The RAI commentator reminded us that Juventus have received their final 5 video games in all competitions, scoring 11 and conceding only one objective within the course of. That sample didn’t appear to be getting reversed tonight to date. Coming to the thirty fifth minute, Roma have been enjoying the ball throughout the face of Juventus’ field however misplaced possession. Roma’s defenders have been second-best to each ball in Juve’s counter, forcing Gianluca Mancini to take out Adrien Rabiot on the break and the referee into reserving Mancini. However the transfer got here to nothing, and Roma received the ball again to feed it to Spinazzola once more.

Once more Spinazzola held onto the ball like he had on a regular basis on the planet. Once more Roma received a nook from Spinazzola getting closed down. Once more the Veretout nook got here to nothing. I would want a hotkey that sorts out these final three sentences for me on automated if Roma have been planning for this to be their solely path to Juve’s objective all night time.

Photograph by Stefano Guidi/Getty Photographs

Within the forty first minute, Juventus caught Roma without warning after a false restart from a dead-ball state of affairs let the Bianconeri float the ball excessive to Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese legend introduced out an honest save from Pau Lopez to maintain the rating at 1-0, whereas Roma instantly surrounded referee Daniele Orsato to demand why Orsato was as much as common Orsato issues.

On the very finish of the half, Villar picked up the ball deep in Juve’s half whereas giving an opponent the flip. No foul was given, leaving Villar free to cross the ball in a transfer that was reduce out for a Roma nook. Certainly one of Juventus’ teaching employees took situation with Orsato for ignoring a Juve participant going to floor in the midst of that transfer, and Orsato promptly despatched the man off.

That left Roma with one other nook proper earlier than half-time. Would the Veretout nook come to something? You guess your own home it went straight into Szczesny’s arms to finish the half.

Paulo Fonseca’s males have been 1-0 down on the night time, and wanted another attacking concepts within the second half, in addition to being over-reliant on a gradual and pondering Leonardo Spinazzola down that left flank. To be honest to Spinazzola, nonetheless, on the few occasions Roma tried to assault down the best facet, Borja Mayoral was discovered wanting for the best contact and management of the ball wanted to threaten Juventus in these tight areas.

Photograph by Stefano Guidi/Getty Photographs

Second Half

A few minutes glided by earlier than Jordan Veretout (or perhaps Henrikh Mkhitaryan?) did a spin and falling go on the ball that was good, sending two Roma gamers into house on the best flank. Lastly, Rick Karsdorp was allowed to run onto Juve’s backline however was closed down on the final second contained in the field earlier than he may ship it throughout the face of objective. Roma received back-to-back corners from that motion however, but once more, no Roma participant was near profitable the primary ball and Juventus cleared it.

A couple of minutes glided by earlier than Edin Dzeko bought up off the bench to begin warming up on the sideline. May membership legend and deposed-captain Dzeko come on to avoid wasting Paulo Fonseca regardless of him, like Francesco Totti did regardless of Luciano Spalletti 5 years in the past? The query may grow to be immaterial if Roma’s centre-backs hold getting booked, like Max Kumbulla selected to when he hauled down Morata by the shirt to cease a Juventus break by means of the center.

Gianluca Mancini started to clean up Roma’s assault concepts by enjoying direct, vertical passes from the backline in a bid to seek out Borja Mayoral early up entrance. Most of these passes failed to attach, however a minimum of Mancini was bringing one thing new to the desk. Nearly as if Leonardo Spinazzola heard me typing these final sentences out loud, the Italian left wingback determined to choose the ball up on the alternative flank, dribble inside and check out a speculative effort into the far nook of Szczesny’s objective all by himself. It sailed over.

However within the very subsequent sequence of play, Mkhitaryan beat a Juventus participant and rank up the best facet of the pitch earlier than slotting the ball completely to Villar’s ft on the left facet of Juve’s field. Villar was free to shoot, however dallied on the ball a tenth of a second too lengthy and noticed his shot blocked. Mayoral tried to get on the rebound however was judged offside. However the chemistry of the match was altering; Juventus have been trying drained now, the match was getting stretched and house was a lot simpler for Roma to seek out by means of all three lanes.

That led to Mayoral feeding Mkhitaryan into house in a really comparable transfer to the one which discovered Villar in the identical place moments earlier, and two consecutive efforts on objective from Miki a minimum of introduced out saves from the Juve goalkeeper. Mancini additionally outmuscled Ronaldo on the ball and it regarded like Juventus badly wanted recent legs, however it could be Roma coach Paulo Fonseca to make the triple sub simply previous the hour mark.

On got here Amadou Diawara, Edin Dzeko, and Carles Perez to interchange Gonzalo Villar, Borja Mayoral, and Bryan Cristante respectively. Pirlo responded with a few subs of his personal, bringing on Kulusevski for McKennie and Cuadrado for Morata. All of the whereas, Bryan Cristante handed the Roma captain’s armband to Gianluca Mancini. Not a foul alternative for captain, that one. Not a foul alternative, in any respect.

Minutes later, Fonseca’s subs started to indicate their risk as Roma performed an early ball within the air to Dzeko, who knocked it down for Carles Perez to flash a shot on course that compelled Szczesny right into a low, diving smother of the ball. Juventus nonetheless regarded flat and manner too content material with enjoying for the 1-0 win at this level. However their conviction (if that’s the best phrase) was rewarded moments later, when a through-ball met Dejan Kulusevki’s run past Roma’s backline to place him free on objective.

Roger Ibañez: 69th Minute O.G. (Juventus 2, Roma 0)

Kulusevski used the acres of house to tug the ball again throughout the face of Roma’s six-yard space, and Roger Ibanez tried to chop out the ball however merely ended up sliding the ball into his personal objective to place Juventus 2-0 up on the night time. This was trying like a customary loss away to Juventus by now; one the place Roma had the vast majority of all the pieces besides essentially the most significant statistics, like possibilities on objective and targets scored.

Moments later, Edin Dzeko ran out large to the left flank to create house for Roma’s midfielders to work the ball in on objective by means of the center. Miki tried a blocked shot that rebounded to the ft of Veretout, however the Frenchman’s ensuing shot on objective went properly over. Roma made one other substitution by bringing on Bruno Peres for Rick Karsdorp. Peres instantly bought in on the motion by profitable a ball again for Roma, who noticed increasingly of the ball however nonetheless lacked that actual risk on Juve’s objective to make the hosts fear about something.

With ten minutes left within the sport, Juventus had registered over 3 times as many possibilities on Roma’s objective than the Giallorossi had finished on the different finish (although solely two of Juve’s efforts have been really on course). To attempt to transfer the needle of that entrance, Bruno Peres curled in a stunning cross from well-out large that simply evaded the outstretched foot of Edin Dzeko on the far facet. Leonardo Spinazzola then flashed an effort throughout the face of objective from the ensuing play.

Photograph by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Photographs

Juventus made one other substitution, bringing on one barcode for an additional barcode. I’m fairly certain it was Federico Bernardeschi approaching for Federico Chiesa, however Juventus gamers all transfer in the identical robotic method, anyway. Leonardo Bonucci tried to place an finish to my robotic conspiracy by clutching his leg and calling for a substitution to show there’s humanity in that facet, so Juventus scanned one other barcode onto the pitch within the type of Matthijs De Ligt. Simply your customary €75 million substitutions with 5 minutes of regular time to go, then.

Roma saved working the ball into Juventus’ remaining third, however I’d be mendacity if I mentioned the Giallorossi look satisfied about their choices made on the sting of Juve’s field at any level on this match. Leonardo Spinazzola used a second to chop in on his proper and ship a low shot at Szczesny, however it was a straightforward save.

There was one heartening second left on this sport, the place Ibanez each dominated and dispossessed Cristiano Ronaldo late within the sport. However that didn’t change the scoreline on the night. The remainder of damage time went largely with out incident earlier than Daniele Orsato blew the ultimate whistle on a Juventus win that sees the Bianconeri leapfrog Roma within the Serie A desk with their sixth consecutive win in all competitions.

Closing Whistle

Photograph by Stefano Guidi/Getty Photographs

This primary week of February could possibly be the second Roma start to stare at Juventus’ heels within the league standings from right here on in if Juve don’t race forward and disappear from sight fully. Sadly, this sport had all of the indicators of what we’re used to seeing occur on the Allianz Enviornment by now.

The away facet noticed extra of the ball and expended a ton of nervous power of their build-up play in direction of the ultimate third, whereas the house facet expended comparatively little power on the break. That very same dwelling facet used that conservative power to create what the away facet couldn’t: Clear, open possibilities on objective and ending these possibilities with 100% accuracy. And that’s a textbook loss away to Juventus, in a nutshell.

Up Subsequent

Roma host Udinese on Sunday the 14th.